Combination gauge bob and thermometer



Feb. 20, J. F HALLER 1 COMBINATION GAUGE BOB AND THERMOMETER Filed April 14, 1930 011'- Lave?,4

aaiteiaczc i934 i 1,947,592

y UNITED STATES PiiTlazNI"oFFlQle:4

COMBINATION GAUGE BOB AND THERMOMETER John F. Haller, Kansas City, Kans. Application April 14, 1930. Serial No.- 444,057 3 Claims. (Cl. 33126) This invention relates to gauge and temperupper end of the sleeve, theparts being so proature indicators for oil and gasoline tanks. It is portioned as to constitute a-plumb bob, and the of great practicalimportance in oil fields and recap has an upstanding perforated lug 4 for eniineries to take daily readings of the contents of gagement by a snap hook 5 secured to the lower 5 the large oil and gasoline tanks, and this is cusend of a steel tape 6, which is unwound for the 80 tomarily done early in themorning before the purpose of lowering the device into tank 7 through contents ofthe tanks have been aifectedby the an opening in the top thereof. heat of the sun. A reading showing oil for ex- The sleeve 2 is provided with an elongated ample, at a certain temperature and depth, will slot or opening 8 extending preferably from the t l vary from a reading taken from the same tank upperl end of the sleeve for about three quarters 65 a few hours later inthe day. It is necessary of the length of the latter, the lower` or unslotted therefore for the readings to be taken at an early portion of the sleeve forming a cup 9 which will hour, as otherwise the records of the contents of collect a small quantity of the oil or gasoline and the'tankswillnotbedependable. l withdraw it from the tank when the tape is l Heretofore it has vbeen customary for two men wound up. v p 70 to make the readings, one man lowering a gauge As indicated a'cross pin 10 fastens the cap 3 to through an opening in the top of the tank for the the sleeve, and said pin forms a suspension point purpose of ascertaining the depth of the oil, and for a thermometer 11 which extends down through the second man immediately afterwards lowering the sleeve and preferably into a small pocket 12 a. thermometer into the tank for the purpose of` formed in the tip 1, and to protect the gauge 75 determining the temperature of the oil. against danger of fracture, one or more bands 13 My object is to produce a combined device fit snugly around it and are provided with stems which will enable a single attendant to render 14 which are fastened to a preferably right-anglethis service in the same or lless time than is now shaped plate l5 tted within the sleeve and bear-A required by the. two-man method mentioned. A ing at its lower end upon the tip and at its upper 80 'further object is to provide a device which will end against the cap, and said stems are provided give the true temperature reading, and this is imf "with shoulders 16 so that before the angle plates v portant in weather of very low temperature. POI- l=--.; i.e fitted in the. sleeve, there can be no sliding of ,ticularlyA when the level of the oil in the tank is the stems through the plates which might permit low.' Another object is to make provision for at the thermometer tube to strike against the plate mi` the same time indicating the depth of water un; and be fractured thereby. derlying oil in a ta The angle plate may function not only to guard With the objects mentioned in view the invenagainst swinging movements of the thermometer, tion consists in certain novel and useful features but may also-bear scale markings, as shown, which of construction and combinations of parts asheremarkings should conform to or register with the oo inafter described and claimed; and in order that customary markings (not shown) on vthe therit may be fully understood, reference is to be mometer itself. Infact if the parts are made in had to the .accompanying drawing, in which: A exact proportion the thermometer tube would-not Figure .1 is a fragmentary vertical section of a have to be marked, and it might be easier to read 40 tank for oil, gasoline and the like, with my the temperature indication upon the plate than o5 device operatively applied for simultaneously inupon thetube itslf because the scale markings dicating the depth and temperature of e conjcould be made heavier and longer. However it tents and the depth of underlying.v wa in the v is necessary that one or the other should bear the tank. Y y l proper scale markings so that the'temperature Figure 2 is a perspective view ofthe device with may be read at a glance.

the tapeline omitted. A For 'the purpose of indicating thewater level, Figure 3 is a view partly in side elevation and' which, in largesize tanks .seldom exceeds two in central vertical section of the device inches, linear markings, such as horizontal ver- 'with the tapeline omitted. tically spaced notches 17 are provided'in the de- Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the vicepand chalk is rubbed into the notches before a line IV--IVbi` Figure 2. the device is lowered into the tank, which chalk Referring to the drawing in detail. the device `upon encountering the water is washed or cut out is constructed as follows: 1 indicates a relatively of the notches but is not obliterated by oil or gasheavy conical tipor point, 2a cylindrical sleeve oline. As a result therefore when the device is secured -to the tip, and 8 a cap secured to the withdrawn from the tank. an inspection of the '1m gasoline. tank, the level of the oil will be indicated on the notches will show at a glance the topmost-one from whichthe' chalk has been washed out and thus Ygive the depth of water under the oil or In withdrawing the device from the linear markings of the steel tape and record made thereof due allowance being made for the depth of the underlying oil indicated on the plumbbob. and when the withdrawal is complete thethermometer will be inspected to determine the tempe'rature of the oil and notation made thereof, it being noted in this connection that the pocket or chamber. 9 will be filled with oil or the like when the device is withdrawn andthe oil or gasoline not being quickly affected by outside temperatures, will give an accurate reading of the temperature of the body of oil or gasoline within the tank. Lacking the pocket or chamber to withdraw a quantity of oil or gasoline, it will be apparent, especially if the oil level is relatively low in the tank and the outside temperature very low, that a lower temperature would be indicated by the thermometer by the time it reached the hand of the operator than when it emerged from the oil. The reading with the oil still influencing the thermometer when it reaches the top of the tank, is therefore more accurate than under the other condition mentioned and the pocket is a very desirable feature of the device.

The engineering or oiiice force, knowing the volume and the temperature of the oil or gasoline at a xed early hour in the day, will likewise through computation, experience and observation, know what the reading and volume should approximately show at a later hour in the day, and for this reason the accounting system can be made more accurate and indicate more truly the content volume and value of a particular tank at any particular time.

A devicey of the kind described, can be handled with great facility and ease, and while the drawing illustrates the-preferred construction of the device, it is to be understood that it is susceptible of modification in minor particularswithout departing. from the principle of construction and mode of operation involved or from thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In adevice of the character described, a hollow plumb bob provided with aside opening and a bottom pocket below and in communication with said opening, and a thermometer extending centrally within the plumb bob opposite said open' ing and downward into said'pocket, said bob also having external depth gauge notches for containing material which Will be cut by water but not by oil or gasoline from said notches, in combination with a measuring tape secured at its lowergor outer end to the upper end of the plumb bob for eiecting lowering and raising movement of the latter and for indicating tank content levels.

2. In a deviceof the character described,- a hollow plumb bob provided witha side opening and a bottom pocket below and in communication with said opening, and a thermometer extending centrally' within the plumb .bob opposite said opening and downward into said pocket; said plumb bob having external depth gauge notches for containing material which will be cut by water but not by oil or gasoline from the notches.

3. A depth gauging and temperature taking device for liquid hydrocarbons, comprising a line having linear markings to indicate depth readings, a casing suspended from the line and having linear markings coacting with the linear markings of the line, certain of the linear markings on the casing being indicated by notches adapted to contain a material unaffected by liquid hydrocarbons but aiected by water, and a thermometer carried by said casing.

- JOHN F. HALLER. 

